


Inheritance of Ink

by CobaltCorvus



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - This World Inverted (Shadowhunters TV), Domestic Fluff, M/M, Magical Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-18
Updated: 2017-08-18
Packaged: 2018-12-16 19:12:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11835201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CobaltCorvus/pseuds/CobaltCorvus
Summary: Magnus managed to jumpstart his own magic in the alternate universe, so why can't Alec do the same with runes of a new style?





	Inheritance of Ink

It’s a day that hints at the winter to come, leaves swirling over the ground in waves of color and the wind playing with every stray strand of hair left loose. The loft is filled with the breeze, Magnus’ windows thrown open to let the crisp smell inside. He’s working through one of his books, pages splayed to show diagrams and spell ingredients while Alec finishes up the last of his event paperwork. As Alec props his head on his hand, his fingers bury themselves in his hair as he seems to go over the same piece of paper with greater and greater frustration. The hem of his t-shirt rides up over the dark outline of the angelic rune nestled on the skin at the small of his back as he leans forward.

The first time Magnus saw Alec’s tattoos, it was on a date to the park on one of the most sweltering days of the year. A swirl of flowers poked out from beneath the edge of the sleeveless lilac button-up that Alec was sporting. Magnus had torn his eyes away after a few seconds, rather surprised that the seemingly refined and proper man in front of him would have something like that. It didn’t take away from the illusion, it only made him want to see the full design, see how far down his back it went and whether that was the only one he had. 

The next time he got to see them was at Isabelle’s birthday party, the invitation to celebrate a welcome reprieve from a long day of mundane clients who couldn’t seem to decide between believing or ridiculing his mystical services. Magnus caught sight of Alec on the other side of the pool, laughing at a joke Raj had told and dressed in only a pair of swim trunks. In the setting light of the sun, they were both bathed in rays of soft gold and the tattoos on Raj’s umber skin shone, the designs geometric and patterned in tattoo sleeves along both arms. With Alec’s back turned, the canvas of his skin was on full display. More tattoos like the flowers, which grew along his shoulder blade like half a pair of leafy wings. A curl of flames that coils around his waist, watercolors spilling over the inked lines to fade into his skin. What he and Raj shared with Jace and Isabelle is the single power rune, tucked into the crook of an elbow or astride a collarbone.

Now Magnus traces the edge of the book’s filigreed cover before making up his mind. 

“Is there a spell for making someone stop changing their mind every few hours?” Alec asks with a sigh. He glances towards Magnus with a pleading look, annoyance written in the furrow of his brow.

“No, but I think I have a better spell to try out.”

“Does it have anything to do with work?” Alec ventures, curious. Though he didn’t understand the theories behind a warlock’s magic, he’d taken to poring over some of Magnus’ more basic books on enchantments, excited by all the possibilities hidden within the pages. 

“Again, no. It is a distraction though, so I think that’s even better. Unless it’s urgent.” Magnus waves a hand at the pile of bookings in front of Alec, who shakes his head vehemently. “Alright then, take off your shirt.”

“If that’s the distraction Magnus, you could have just said so.” Alec grins as he stands up, tugging at the collar of his shirt until he’s managed to pull it over his head. 

Magnus rolls his eyes in fond exasperation and turns around to consult the book to be sure of the spell’s components. Alec squints at the rather scraggly hand-written letters, tucking his chin into Magnus’ shoulder and pressing a kiss to his neck. The warmth of a body against Magnus’ back was rather welcome after the bite of the cold air coming from outside. Once he’s satisfied that he knows the intricacies of the magic as well as most could navigate their room in the dark, he twists around to face Alec again. 

“Tell me if anything starts to hurt, if anything feels wrong.” 

“Magnus,” Alec searches his face with a mounting confusion. “What are you going to do?” 

“Wait and see,” Magnus answers rather cryptically, his smile turning excited. It was always exhilarating to try out something new and this case was no different. Brushing his hands together, he feels the static of the spell build up between his fingers like an electric shock. Once he’s sure it’s enough he lays his hands against Alec’s chest and lets go. The magic twangs like a struck string, tying them together but Magnus is more interested in the tongues of fire drawn on Alec’s side. They began to dance and writhe, heat emanating in a steady thrum. 

“Magnus,” Alec’s awed whisper draws his attention to where Alec holds his hands out like he’s trying to keep his balance while ice skating. Streams of fire dance around his fingers, coiling over his knuckles in a snake of flickering blue flame. Magnus reaches out to slip his hand into Alec’s, the fire gliding over his skin but burning no more than a nightlight would a child. 

“Is this you? How did you do it?” Alec closes his fingers over Magnus’, their clasped hands as interlocked as Magnus could feel their essence was, bound together in threads of magic strung between them. 

“This is your blood’s doing. Shadowhunters might not fight demons anymore but that doesn’t mean the secret to it doesn’t slumber inside you.” Magnus traces the angelic power rune on Alec’s spine. “Do you know what that rune means?”

“It’s just a family symbol, I thought it would make for a cool design.” Alec shrugs.

“It’s also what gave Shadowhunters their power.” Magnus focuses on the magic twisting through them and pushes it towards the flowers stretched across Alec’s shoulder-blade. This time he can feel the moment when the magic sinks into it, spreading along the inked lines like water in a riverbed. The petals unfurl in starbursts of smooth caramel amidst velvet green leaves. 

“What…” Alec trails off, his eyes growing hazy as he holds onto Magnus’ shoulder for balance. “I feel like I just got three shots of espresso.” 

Magnus stares, mesmerized by the flowers blooming across Alec’s skin. It’s not the same as what he remembers runes being. Instead it’s a fusion, a weaving of magic and the energy behind runes to create something more flexible, more unique than runes alone. The power cycles through them in a looping consistency, the natural glow of Magnus’ sparking magic peeking through in the edges of the sweeping lines mapped out on Alec’s skin. 

“I got that one done the day after I came out to my parents.” Alec rubs the side of his neck, his fingertips smoothing over the flowers as though he could feel the silk of their petals. His voice is rather husky, licking his lips slowly before he speaks. “Don’t even really know the reason behind it, plants of all things, but it felt like it fit and it’s a nice reminder sometimes.” 

“What about this one?” Magnus draws the outline of the wild flames against soft skin, following the comet of colors around Alec’s waist with a gentle touch. 

“That one was just to cover up the scar I got after falling out of a tree,” Alec admits with a rueful smile at Magnus’ accompanying snort of laughter. “You know it reminds me of your eyes.” The muttered comment reaches Magnus despite Alec looking down to gesture at the molten gold color of the flowers. 

“My eyes?” Magnus is stunned into silence until Alec looks up at him again. 

“Yes, the beautiful shine of them. Probably because it’s your spell.” Alec cups Magnus’ face in his hands, the magic slowly simmering down between them as Magnus lets go of the enchantment. 

“That’s not how it works,” Magnus finally points out, touched by the idea despite his obvious amusement at the theory. It did seem appropriate though, both of their pasts rekindled to form a new connection. Magnus rests his forehead against Alec’s, content to simply enjoy the moment. He’s humming, pleased by the success of the spell. Magic and runes flowing together seamlessly like ink in water, tinting everything in billows of smoky color until they can’t be separated.


End file.
